Chapter 17: Hero Beyond Despair. Lili/Fianna

A week had passed since the raid and dissolution of the organized crime network of the Dolos familia.

The incident caused huge waves among the general public of Orario.

Most were shocked and appalled that such a thing was happening for such a long time without notice in the earlier floors of the dungeon, though there were many sentiments regarding the fact, most adventurers merely chose to mourn for the fallen.

Any adventurer who has experienced the profession of adventuring long enough would be intimately familiar with the dangers that come along with such a profession.

The world of Danmachi wasn't so safe that protection from such atrocities was expected of the guild.

Monsters roaming the world were expected, and though lessened in recent times, the rule of the strong was still prominent in this world compared to Earth.

Familias with stronger backing bullying those below them. Individual adventurers scheming for the downfall of others. Organized criminal groups wreaking chaos. And plain lousy luck with monster encounters.

There was no effective way to police the dungeon with the way it was.

So all the general public and adventurers could mourn for the victims of this tragedy, be glad it was now gone, and move on.

That would've been the case if it weren't for the appearance of the Gray Ghost.

Though it was tried to be hidden as a secret among the guild investigators and familia members involved in the raid, the fact that the Gray Ghost cooperated in the downfall and possibly even started it in the first place, leaked out.

Anonymous accounts of seeing the Gray Ghost in action were told around in rumors.

Most talked about his immense strength and ability.

Some recounted that his punishment was so brutal that the captured convicts would mentally break down at the mere mention of him during questioning.

The mysterious vigilante of the dungeon. The hidden hero of Orario.

It was something that started off small but now spread into a wildfire that even reached the top figures of the dungeon city.

A goddess of the forge became intrigued at stories of his weapon conjuration while drinking with her familia captain.

A certain goddess of trickery became interested in his mystique, while her sword princess wondered about the figure's strength and training.

A god of winemaking hiding beneath a mask grumbled at his interfering with the loss of a valuable pawn in his schemes.

And a god who pushed back the dungeon with his prayers pondered in silence about the emerging Gray Ghost. Choosing not to act at this time, but to simply observe.

Who was the Gray Ghost? How powerful is he? What drives him to do so much?

Where is he now?

...

..

.

'I'm so tired...'

Bell Cranel, the Gray Ghost, whom the public imagined as a figure of unyielding dedication and resolve, was now contemplating at how tiring his job as a hero in the dark was.

Brewing a pot of tea in his advisor Eina's office as he did so.

'Why the hell did I have to deal with ten pass parades today... please don't tell me people are getting into danger in order to meet me...'

Bell continued serving as the dungeon vigilante after his infiltration and neutralizing of the Dolos familia head and captain,

A week had passed since that day, and he didn't slack with his dedication to becoming Orario's hero in the dark.

But just because he did the work, doesn't mean he couldn't complain about some of the bullshit he went through. Venting is a healthy way to keep emotions in check after all.

'It's good that I've been encountering fewer criminal adventurers in the dungeon...but the incidents involving monsters seem to have risen to compensate for it...is fate fucking with me right now?-'

Bell worked tirelessly to save as many people as he could, but he knew that he couldn't save everybody. so he focused his efforts on the dungeon more during day time.

Though adventurers worked in the dungeon throughout the day, most adventurer deaths peak around midday to afternoon.

'After spending all day in the dungeon, I go back to the guild to exchange my magic stones and talk with Eina...besides eating at the hostess, this has become my second time of relaxation during the day'

Bell thought as he finished making his pot of tea at a table, and began heading back to the sofa and couch in Eina's office.

Eina and Bell didn't discuss much during these sessions after Bell's dive into the dungeon, they would simply work on their own stuff while enjoying each other's company.

Eina working on her tasks, duties, and paperwork for the guild. Bell studied the various books in Eina's personal collection, asking questions to her every now and then for clarification.

The half-elf would still quiz and question Bell to confirm his knowledge, but after a few weeks of seeing steady improvement and effort, she had since become laxer with the adventurer.

"You're working quite hard Miss Eina, did something happen with the guild? Oh, also here's a cup of tea"

Bell asked Eina who was buried in paperwork, pouring the sleep-deprived half-elf a cup of tea he had just brewed to help her relax.

"Haa...It's nothing to concern yourself with Bell, some of the deeper floors are experiencing a surge in monster spawn... it's nothing new for us, it's just a hassle to deal with every time"

Eina told Bell as she took a cup of tea.

'Tell me about it. Those pass parades are a pain in the neck to completely subdue...back to back...'

Bell thought idly to himself as Eina sipped on her tea, visibly becoming calmer as she did.

"Your tea brewing is the best Bell! It never fails to impress...did you grow up brewing too often?"

Eina in her bliss asked how Bell was so skilled at the art of tea preparation, to which the adventurer could only vaguely reply.

"Something like that...hahaha"

He couldn't specify because it was only a recent discovery he had made.

'To think I would even inherit Emiya's busted ability of cooking and housework...'

Bell recently tried his hand at tea making after seeing an unused tea set and some tea leaves in Eina's office a few weeks ago.

Eina mentioned how it was a gift and never got around to using it, so Bell picked it up out of curiosity. It was then that he discovered his increased affinity with the task.

'I don't know whether to be impressed or ashamed that it was the skill I found the most improvement with, in the shortest amount of time...but Emiya was able to tame Artoria who had an endless stomach and affection for food, so maybe it's only natural?'

As Bell pondered on Shirou Emiya's busted 「House Husband EX」 skill. Eina pondered on her own thoughts.

'When I first began advising Bell, I prepared myself to constantly watch over him...I did, but he's doing just fine without much supervision'

Eina looked back on his performance over the past three weeks.

'He has maintained his promise to stay within the first four floors as far as I can tell...He hasn't come back with any serious injuries or incidents, just exhaustion...He has a steady income from the number of magic stones he gathers each day...Overall it's very stable'

She didn't know she had completely fallen for Bell's deception. Completely oblivious to the dangers he puts himself in every day.

'I can't do much to arrange commissions for him since commissioners wouldn't trust an adventurer without falna...so all I've been doing for him is tutoring and quizzing him on dungeon facts and the daily news around Orario and beyond...'

Eina tried cutting off her advisors reluctantly as she didn't find a natural reason to continue such a thing, saying she would be happy to continue it once Bell found a familia and could explore beyond the first four floors of the dungeon.

But Bell didn't wish to cancel it, saying he finds their casual meetings rather productive and calming. Further stating that her knowledge was something he wished to learn beyond just adventuring.

With his insistence, Eina continued her advising of Bell, despite her thinking that he was already self-sufficient where he was.

'I'm more like a private tutor now than an adventurer's advisor now'

Eina inwardly laughed as she took another sip of the tea Bell made, sighing in satisfaction.

'I just realized I might be benefitting more from Bell than he does from me right now...'

As Eina soaked in the pleasant atmosphere of her office, she came to this conclusion.

'Usually, I would be stressed and alone as I work on the papers. Only being able to talk to Misha and the other guild workers after hours...but now'

Eina shifted her glance from the papers on her desk to Bell who was happily reading a book from the dungeon on a couch.

'Bell keeps me company as I work...we don't talk much...just sitting in the same room as one another...but I don't feel as alone as I did during hectic seasons like this...it's...nice'

She observed his eyes reading each word from the book. His body lifted ever so slightly in accordance with his calm breath.

'He also listens to whatever I talk about...most people would roll their eyes...but I can always see his genuine interest in what I know...'

Eina had gotten used to being ignored, or her words flying over the heads of the people she talked to.

She was a woman who had a lot of interest in benign information about the dungeon and Orario, so she easily bored most people, even her best friend Misha.

But Eina's conservations with Bell were the first time she experienced such a genuine reciprocation of her interests. It warmed her heart knowing Bell took her seriously where others didn't.

'When I first met Bell, I had intended to be the one to take care of him...but now...he's taking care of me...'

Seeing the numerous ways in which Bell made her days more enjoyable, Eina couldn't deny such a thing. Especially as she happily drank the tea Bell brewed, something she had easily gotten a fondness for.

'I never even drank tea that much before...but now I feel like I can't even live without it...'

Eina's eyes hazed as she was fully consumed by the comfort Bell had wrapped her in. She had always considered herself to prefer pampering over being pampered, but she simply threw that out of the window at this moment.

'I wonder...if this is what my mother felt...as she was taken care of by my father...'

Eina's memories of her mother's smile as his father kept her company while bedridden from sickness passed through her mind, invading her thoughts as he began to observe Bell more...fondly...

'I would like it if these days could continue forever...if me and Bell...in our own house...together'

Eina's eyes focused on Bell's face as her face naturally flushed without her notice.

'if me and bell...me and bell...'

Eina focused on Bell's lips. Radiating a healthy color that complimented his fair skin.

"...I..."

Eina, realizing where her thoughts were leading, suddenly jolted to break away.

"ACK!-"

Stubbing her toe against her desk in the process.

"Miss Eina?!"

Bell suddenly stopped his reading when he heard Eina's sudden wince in pain in the once quiet room.

He immediately stepped from the couch and approached the desk where Eina was, but she quickly dissuaded Bell from approaching her.

"I-Its alright Bell. I just stubbed my toe. No biggie HAHAHA..."

But she spoke to him whilst hiding her face, but from the few glances he could see, Bell could notice what she was hiding.

"Hm?!-"

Eina's face was suddenly lifted as she felt a hand cover her forehead. Her eyes immediately met Bell's blue eyes.

"You're having a fever, Miss Eina! Your temperature is extremely high...you should take the day off Miss Eina. I'm sure the guild will be able to understand..."

'C-close-'

Eina grew more embarrassed seeing how close Bell was to her, even touching her face with concern. Her already flushed face was hiding her fluster.

"I-Im alright Bell! I can get this paperwork done just-"

But Bell wasn't having any of it.

"Your health should be your top priority, Miss Eina!"

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes and voice, Eina was stunned.

Seeing a person care for her so deeply when she cared for others most of the time, had set off something alight within her.

"...a-alright...I'll rest...so can you take a step back Bell? y-you're a bit-..."

"oh-"

Bell immediately stepped away from Eina and began rummaging through his bag which he brings with him to his dungeon dives.

"...?"

As Eina began recovering her breath and calming her heart, she saw Bell walk up to her after rummaging through his stuff.

"...a potion?"

Bell handed out a potion that could deal with negative status effects one might encounter in the dungeon. It was primarily used for the dungeon but could act as a temporary treatment for more traditional diseases.

Eina was confused why Bell had such a potion. The first four floors of the dungeon didn't have status effects to warrant such a purchase, but Bell soon spoke, knowing Eina might question this.

"You always told me to prepare for any situation Miss Eina, like if I encounter an adventurer trying to return with a status effect. So I took your advice"

During their first few lessons, Eina taught Bell to not look away from an adventurer in need if it didn't compromise his own safety. She stressed it greatly, not wanting to raise an adventurer who would look away for convenience's sake.

Not that he was going to with his alter ego as the Gray Ghost.

"And I'm glad I did...cause it could help you right now"

Bell said with a gentle smile on his face, one which brought back the flush in her cheeks which Eina tried to fade away by calming herself down.

"Bell..."

She didn't know what to say. Bell took her advice seriously, only to turn it around to then use it to care of her.

'I...-'

But before she could speak, Bell began preparing to leave.

"Anyways, I'll be leaving now Miss Eina. I would've accompanied you but... that would bring some unnecessary trouble..."

Bell thought about the stalking incident Eina experienced in the anime because her admirers suspected she was dating the original Bell. Choosing to avoid such a hassle of a job, it would be best not to cultivate such a suspicion thought Bell.

Not that it wasn't already starting beyond his awareness.

"I'll call Miss Misha to escort you on your way home. Before you say anything, I saw her slacking so she would be more than happy to do so"

Bell replied sarcastically, he had become acquainted with Misha Flott through his meetings with Eina. The two took to each other as natural teasers and became close.

Eina just stood there as Bell prepared to leave, having already considered how she would get back home.

"I don't know if you'll be well by tomorrow Miss Eina, but I hope you recover quickly. Have a good day!"

With that Bell gently closed the door on the still-dazed Eina.

Eina, seeing that Bell was now gone, quickly brought her hands to her chest, her heart beating faster and faster.

'It's not like that...this is just the high of some emotions...'

Eina grasped her chest, her clothes wrinkling under her grasp.

'Bell is just being kind...he is just that kind of person...'

Eina diluted the spark which had ignited deep in her soul.

'This... it's not...'

She was able to eventually cover the faint flame which had ignited, but she couldn't extinguish it.

Eina would simply not allow itself to grow. She couldn't. She needed to remain professional.

'As the older one...I-'

Eina was too afraid to take the next leap forward, deluding herself of the possibility entirely.

She would need a stimulus great enough to push her over the edge. One which would come to her in the future.

Run from it all you want.

'Me and Bell...we're just friends'

But you cannot forever deny what the heart wants.

...

..

.

'I've been able to lie naturally towards other people, but I seem to find trouble with Eina...'

Bell thought to himself as he sipped on his glass of beer, a plate of roasted chicken covered with savory gravy complimenting the alcohol.

He is yet again eating his dinner at the Hostess of Fertility.

Bell visited the place in the first place for its significance to the story of Danmachi, but now he was just an avid enjoyer of their food and service.

'Maybe I just have a harder time lying to people I'm grateful to...that will become a problem in the future'

Bell pondered on his future plans as he ate, a tired expression on his face, one which didn't go unnoticed.

"Nya? Something wrong Bell?"

"Is it perhaps something about the food?"

Two of the waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility soon spoke to Bell in concern.

The energetic cat-person Anya Fromel, and the cool and quiet elf Ryuu Lion.

"Hm? Oh it's nothing to worry about~"

Bell had gotten closer with the waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility over his many visits for food.

Just because you were a regular didn't mean you would be able to get closer to the waitresses however, many people tried and failed to break the barrier between a waitress and her customer.

But Bell had achieved what many were unable to do throughout their entire patronage of the pub, he had gotten close to the waitress Syr, in his first time visiting no less.

That alone made him draw the ire of many patrons of the Hostess, but it simply became worse.

First, it was Ryuu, who had gotten curious and wish to know the person Syr had gotten closer to.

Seeing Ryuu take the lead, Anya quickly followed after Ryuu, wanting to not miss something interesting.

Then Chloe fell next because Bell's charms as a cute younger boy had fallen in line with her...tastes.

After seeing all her co-workers begin to converse with Bell, Lunoire joined in too, finding him pleasant to talk with as well.

Yes, Bell had reached a land none before him had been able to reach...

(The One Piece-)

Bell had successfully gotten closer to all five famous waitresses of the Hostess of Fertility!-

As if that wasn't enough, to add salt to the wound, there were rumors that he was even close to the phantom sixth member of the Hostess, the cat-girl cook May.

Bell became the object of silent jealousy among the more passionate patrons of the Hostess...but as well as a person of respect for accomplishing such a monumental feat...

However, this all occurred beyond Bell's knowing.

"Mu? I can tell you're lying nya~ You're so obvious Bell~ NYAHAHAHAH- NYA?!-"

Before Anya could continue to gloat, Ryuu stopped her she could any longer do so and spoke to Bell.

"If you don't want to talk about it, that will be fine Mister Bell, but do know if we can help you...we are quite 'capable' after all"

Ryuu said with a small barely noticeable smile on her face, one which Bell noticed.

"...thanks Anya, Ryuu"

Bell replied with a smile, causing the other two waitresses to smile as well.

'It might be because of the alcohol that I was caught so easily...but then again they all have rather unique backgrounds'

Unknown to many, the workers of the Hostess of Fertility all came from troubled backgrounds and are all high leveled adventurers with proficient skill and experience. It wouldn't surprise Bell if they could naturally detect the faintest signs of his lie, in spite of his training to hide such things.

'They have experience over me at the moment after all...'

But before Bell could end the conversation, he was abruptly interrupted by a loud intimidating voice.

"Hey. I don't pay you two to just stand around and talk...get moving Anya! Ryuu!"

Mama Mia came out to break up the conversation Bell was having.

Anya replied in fear and haste, while Ryuu simply replied with the same tone she always had.

"Yes, Mama Mia!"

With that, the two waitresses left Bell to his fate.

"Hey, Kid!"

Bell flinched as he slowly turned his back to face Mama Mia, fear apparent in his eyes.

"Y-Yes"

Bell began thinking quickly about what could've possibly led to Mama Mia having business with him.

'I didn't forget to pay one time, did I?!-'

But before Bell could drown himself in his fears, Mama Mia spoke out.

"We're having some trouble keeping up with the orders. Busy night. Help out May"

"Eh?-"

Bell had been asked to assist in the kitchen.

This wasn't the first time he had done such a thing.

After discovering his proficiency in cooking and housework, during a busy night for the Hostess when they were having trouble keeping up with the order, Bell drunkenly declared that he could help.

Mama Mia and the other waiters simply took his declaration as a product of his inebriation, but Syr weirdly insisted that Mama Mia give him a chance.

Trusting that her former goddess would know better than to mess with her business, Mama Mia agreed and Bell was promptly put into the kitchen, his services would pay for his meal and a little extra.

Once Bell had entered the kitchen, instinct he never knew he possessed had taken over.

Seeing his expression shift so quickly shocked the watching waitresses, even May and Mama Mia, and Syr watched with a smile on her face, intrigued at a side of Bell she never knew.

He worked with efficiency and professionalism, allowing May to focus on the more important sides of the meal prep as Bell assisted her.

With his help, the Hostess was able to gain a larger profit than usual, even complimenting the food.

Thus, Bell became the unofficial emergency chef of the Hostess whenever he was around on a busy day.

"Help with May? Uh- Sure. Will the pay be the same as last time?"

Bell was willing to help out, he was quite close with the rather reserved May, and she helped him develop some of his culinary skills in her free time, so he began discussing the details of payment.

But at the mention of payment, Mama Mia raised her eye at Bell, the look was one of intimidation.

Bell Cranel, the Gray Ghost who mercilessly took down criminals, was now fearing for his life at a pub.

But Bell stood his ground, he won't allow capitalist greed to take over him!-

"M-Mama Mia. Even if it may displease you....L-labor laws must be respected!"

A stare-down ensued between the two. Mama Mia looked stern and Bell was on the verge of surrendering then and there, but he had held out long enough.

"Tch- Yeah, yeah, just start helping May already"

Mama Mia then moved away to focus on other customers, as Bell slowly recovered from the gaze of a capitalist beast...one who could whoop his ass easily.

'I may have nearly faltered...but I did it!- Long live the proletariat!-'

Celebrating his victory over the evils of capitalism, Bell began to head towards the kitchen after donning the appropriate attire.

"Hey May! You holding up in there?"

Hearing the voice of Bell, May looked away for a moment from her cooking to greet him.

"Bell! You gotta help me here! There's too much to handle-"

Bell chuckled as he approached the side of May, but as soon as he was within range, the friendly atmosphere between the two changed. Only professionalism remained.

May began speaking out long series of orders to assist in her cooking, and Bell replied with a firm voice.

"Yes, Chef!-"

The two began to work with extreme proficiency, leaving the passing-by waitresses in awe.

"It's like they're in their own little world nya~"

Said Chloe, amused at the situation.

"I can never understand professional chefs...wait maybe I do..."

Said Lunoire, thinking back on her practices as a bounty hunter from long ago.

...

..

.

It was soon the late hours of the night in Orario.

The Hostess of Fertility was now closing up shop and with it Bell's job as a temporary assistant for May.

With the Hostess reaching record-high profits for that year, all the workers began to celebrate.

They all thanked Bell. The waitresses for keeping up with the orders so that they had less stuff to keep track of. Mama Mia for bringing in record profits to the pub. And May profusely thanked Bell for saving her in her hour of need.

Bell simply accepted their praise and wished them a good night, though the waitresses' joy soon became despair as they began to wash the mountain of dirty dishes and ale glasses.

Walking down the calm street under the night sky, Bell thought he had enough time to squeeze in one last activity.

'The grandma at the inn doesn't set a curfew anyway...so let's just do a quick patrol while I'm here...'

Bell discreetly entered an alleyway.

Assured no one was around to notice him with his enhanced senses, Bell leaped out of the alleyway and began swiftly moving across the rooftops of Orario after invoking his magic.

He was now the Gray Ghost.

'It'd be best if nothing happened...but I know better than to expect such a thing'

Bell had now become the Gray Ghost.

After his dealings with the Dolos Familia, Bell began patrolling the streets of Orario at night as the Gray Ghost.

He was now intending to spread the fear, which lessened criminals from wandering around the early floors of the dungeon to the streets of Orario itself.

Covered under the moonlight, Bell began his hunt.

...

..

.

"Ha...ha...ha...ha"

Throughout the quiet streets of the slums, an area which was devoid of life at this time of day, a small figure could be seen running. Desperate to escape.

"Ha...ha...ha...ha"

The small figure wore a heavily torn robe that covered her entire body, the hood obscuring their face.

"Ha...ha...why...why...why?!-"

Tears began moving away in the wind as they fell from the figure's face.

They wanted nothing more than to escape this situation, but it would seem fate was not looking kindly upon the small figure.

"GET BACK HERE YOU PALLUM SHIT!-"

A man with a disheveled appearance said. His face highlighted his drunken state and increased his anger.

He was accompanied by three other men of similar appearance and disposition to him.

They all began to run after the small figure with malice apparent on their faces.

The small figure looked back in horror as she saw her pursuers gaining on her.

"?!-"

Fear struck into every last inch of their body. Knowing that it was inevitable, but wishing desperately for something different to happen this time.

"HA-....HA-....HA-...HA-"

The figure began exerting even more effort into running away.

Eventually, the hood couldn't resist the wind any longer and revealed what lay beneath it.

Medium-length chestnut-colored hair. A face beneath the filth and tears it currently had, could be described as enamoring and cute.

Liliruca Arde, a member of the Soma familia, was the identity of this girl running away at the dead of night.

Lili continued running before opting to turn directions, but as she did so, she slipped on the rocky path, crashing into the floor.

"Gh!-"

Reeling from the pain of the fall, but her desperation exceeding it, she attempted to get up quickly to continue her escape, but she was too late.

"Huh?!-"

"I'VE GOT YOU PIECE OF SHIT!-"

Her pursuers grabbed hold of her coat and lifted her off the ground brutally.

Lili tried her best to resist, but it merely angered the man who had caught her, who subsequently threw her violently against the trash bins of a nearby alleyway.

"Agh-"

Lili reeled from the pain of having been so roughly thrown and colliding with the trash of the alleyway.

She wanted to cry, but she held it in, a habit she had developed during her entire life.

"HA- Crawling around in the garbage. You really fit in with such a scene Pallum fuck!-"

The men who followed the man laughed in response to the ridicule against Lili.

Lili simply coughed as she tried to recover her bearings.

"All I'm asking you is a simple thing shortie....where is my money?"

The man began to slowly walk towards Lili, his name was Canoe Belway.

A scum of an adventurer who had been left free to run amok by the vile captain of the Soma familia. Constantly exploiting Lili for whatever she had.

"L-lord Canoe I-I can-"

Before Lili could defend herself, she was kicked in the gut by Canoe.

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK WHAT YOU SAY! WHERES. MY. MONEY?!-"

Lili continued to not voice her pain, simply struggling to continue speaking.

"R-rent...my rent"

Canoe Belway's incessant harassment of Lili forced her to begin sleeping in shabby apartments for her own safety.

It dug into her finances greatly, but it was the only way she could have the peace of mind to rest long enough to continue working without collapsing.

"Hah? Rent?... LIKE I GIVE A SHIT-"

Canoe Belway began to stomp on Lili. Lili for her part assumed a fetal position to endure the blows.

"I CAN GIVE LESS OF A SHIT IF YOU SLEEP ON THE STREET. WHERE IS MY MONEY DAMMIT?!-"

Lili continued resisting the blows, distracting her mind greatly by falling further and further away from reality.

'Just don't think of the pain. Just don't think of the pain. Just don't think of the pain. Just don think of the pain-'

Most other people would distract themselves with pleasant memories to avoid thinking about pain, but Lili had no such thing in her life.

She was conceived through a mistake by her parents. Never wanting her to have been born in the first place, nor did they care to raise her.

The two of them made it abundantly clear whenever they begrudgingly talked to their daughter how she was nothing but a pain for them to deal with.

She was forced to earn money for her parent for a while, but they suddenly died together in the dungeon when she first started out.

Having no talent in adventuring, she became a supporter, but the years of abuse caught up with her, so she ran away from the Soma familia to become a normal citizen.

However, she wasn't even afforded the chance to escape.

She found solace in an old couple who quickly disdained her existence after the Soma familia tracked her down and destroyed the old couple's home.

At that moment, she had lost all hope in the world. Abandoned by those she loved. Exploited for all that she was worth. Unable to escape, much less to have her own desires and dreams. Lili became broken.

She began to become the very scum she despised in order to survive another day in her endless hell. Deceiving naive adventurers into unfair pay cuts, taking magic stones and drop items for herself, and if push came to shove, abandoning her victims to save her own life.

Lili grew to despise herself more every day as she began to lose more of herself in the endless suffering and torment.

'Why...what did I do to deserve such a life...why-'

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing at all.

'I just want...to live as well...is...is that too much to ask?!-'

Lili felt the kicks from Canoe stop for a moment.

She looked up to see what had happened, but she was immediately frozen by the sight.

An empty bottle of soma, hanging overhead Canoe, intended to strike Lili.

'...'

Lili didn't scream or try to run. She knew it was pointless.

"YOU ANNOYING LITTLE SHIT-"

Lili watched as the bottle approached her. Time slowed down as her senses began to perceive faster. As if to prolong her torment.

'...'

But Lili remained unmoving and without a change of expression beyond shock and fear.

Her wish for her parent's affection ended with their deaths.

Her desire for a family only made them disdain her for existing.

Her longing for a normal life...crushed under the weight of the small world she lived in...one which revolved around her abuser's exploitation of her life.

Lili was devoid of any naive conception such as a hero who would swoop in to save the day.

..but...as a lone tear fell down her face...the only expression of her suffering at the impending pain that was to befall her...Lili called out to the clear moon which shined high in the sky that day.

'...'

Her last chance...before she accepted the embrace of the yawning chasm of sin...

'...please...anybody...somebody...'

...

..

.

"save me-"

「Trace on」

Chains. Blades and chains. Such was the thing that Lili saw before her eyes.

A blue mist radiated off of them, enchanting her. It was ethereal...like a fairy tale come to life...

"...?"

A shadow quickly passed over her head, soon landing between her and her tormentors.

His back appeared wide and strong, as if capable of taking on any brunt to protect what lay behind it.

"..."

Lili was unable to speak.

The cloaked figure began to swiftly dispatch the men with ease.

He made it look so easy that even Lili began to doubt the figure was dealing with the same people that made her life a living hell.

'strong...cool...'

Lili's words of admiration came from the heart, one which had frozen itself in time to protect itself, slowly thawing out at the possibility of hope blooming in front of her.

The solitary figure stood silent, the men Lili feared so deeply now lay before her savior.

Lili tried calling out to the figure, but the words were stuck in her throat.

She did not know how to thank him.

She had long forgotten to do so genuinely, instead of as an act.

The realization of her inability to even express her emotions began to drag Lili back into a dark place in her mind.

But it was cut away, elucidated by the voice that she would come to admire for her entire life.

Her hero spoke words that she always wanted to hear, ever since she was just a small child who knew naught of the world. A simple phrase that could've made a world of difference for her.

A simple question of concern.

An acknowledgment of her existence.

Proof that someone was capable of loving her.

"Are you okay?"

The figure calmly spoke, his back against the moonlight, covering Lili in a shadow that comforted her. Made her feel protected.

Thus the two stood in silence in the presence of one another.

Basking in the majesty of the night sky at their fateful encounter.

A moment the young Pallum girl will look back fondly upon in the future.

'It will always be something ingrained in my heart forever...in the cold night air...he was bathed in moonlight...'

So spoke Lili when asked about her dearest memory. In a time far beyond this moment.

'He saved me when no one else could...at that moment...he was without a doubt-'

..

.

"-my...hero"

Authors Note:

Thank you for reading this chapter and Happy New Year from the Philippines!

Liliruca Arde or Lili has been introduced into the story. I plan on making her a prominent character, as well as outlining my plan for her in this fanfiction, so please reserve all possible Lili hate comments. HAHAHAHA

I also wanted to ask what you guys think about the length of my chapters. This chapter and the previous one were 6k and 7k words respectively. While the early chapters ranged from 2k to 3k.

Do you guys prefer longer chapters or shorter chapters?

Along with that, any criticism or comment on this chapter would be much appreciated as well.

Have a nice day!